


i'll carry your world.

by frostfall



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 12:36:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19946281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostfall/pseuds/frostfall
Summary: “I’ll do it.”Steve snaps out of his reverie, whipping his head upwards.Tony flashes him a sad smile. “The Soul Stone has a weird way of playing Cupid, huh?”(Instead of Clint and Natasha, Steve and Tony travel to Vormir.)





	i'll carry your world.

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from "Atlas" by Coldplay.

So, it was decided:

Nebula and Rhodes would head to Morag to steal the Power Stone before Peter Quill.

Rocket and Thor will extract the Reality Stone from Jane in Asgard.

Bruce, Scott, Clint, and Natasha will seek the Time, Mind, and Space Stones.

Which leaves Steve and Tony to travel to Vormir for the Soul Stone.

These aren’t the initial plans at first. Clint and Natasha were supposed to go in Steve and Tony’s stead. But as conversations flowed and points were made, it became clearer to Steve that two master spies would be better suited for an infiltration mission than merely retrieving a gem from a deserted planet.

“Ugh, why didn’t I go with Thor?” Tony grumbles as they continue to ascend the mountain. “I guarantee Asgard would be much more fun than this wasteland.”

Steve’s about to reply when a strong gust whips him, messing up his hair. He shuts his eyes, hoping the dust doesn’t get inside his eyes.

“Because you’ll be too busy marvelling at their architecture and bugging people about it?” Steve offers when the wind dies down. “We went over this.”

“Hey, I can still focus on the mission,” Tony says defensively as he brushes the ash out of his own hair. Like a magnet, Steve’s gaze follows the movement.

Tony shouldn’t look as gorgeous as he does right now, with his greying locks, perspiring brow, and soot clinging to his clothes. But Tony Stark has always managed to pull off any look. Hell if Tony ever decides to put on a gunny sack, Steve’s positive Tony would still be the most beautiful person in the universe.

“Ugh, the stupid stone better be on this stupid mountain. I swear if I have to climb another one…”

An involuntary smirk graces Steve’s lips. “You know, you could fly to the top.”

Tony snorts. “And leave you on your own? Please, you’ll just end up crying over the fact that you miss my colourful commentary.”

Steve couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Well, I do miss your colourful commentary.”

Tony snickers, fixing him with one of those brilliant smiles of his.

Steve feels lighter, his heart skipping a beat.

“Welcome.”

And there goes that nice feeling, a raspy voice suddenly sobering him back to reality.

He knows that voice. It has haunted Steve some nights, whispering, taunting, laughing—

Next to him, Tony comes to a halt. “What the f—?”

A cloaked figure steps out of the shadows, gracing them with a wicked smile.

“Welcome Anthony, son of Maria. And Steven, son of Sarah.”

“Red Skull,” Steve growls, his hand reaching for his shield. “You—”

A grip latches itself onto Steve’s wrist. Tony’s pining him with a look. The message is loud and clear.

Red Skull smirks. “If you desire the Soul Stone, Captain, you’ll do well to listen to your friend.”

Anger bubbles in the pits of his stomach. He could do it, finally end the Red Skull once and for all. Bash his head with his shield, watch his blood spill over the ground. Have him pay for everything he had done to him, Bucky, every single soul gone because of the bastard.

“How—? How can you be here? You died. The Tesseract—”

“The Tesseract merely transported me to this planet, cursing me to act as a guide to all who seeks the Soul Stone,” Red Skull replies, pushing down his hood. He barely looks like he aged a day since Steve saw him. “If there is any consolation, I am unable to cause harm to the either of you.”

“Great,” Tony says, sounding anything but, “just show us where you’re stashing it and we’ll be on our merry way. No promises that Cap won’t bash your head before that though.”

“We shall see, Stark,” Red Skull comments before turning on his heel. “Come.”

Steve grinds his teeth together as he trails behind him. The fact that he has to listen to whatever the Red Skull blabbers doesn’t sit right by him.

A hand lands on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Cap,” Tony murmurs. “If he tries anything, we can take him on. It’s two against one, anyway.”

Steve nods. “How does he even know you anyway?”

Tony shrugs his shoulders in response. “You got me there.”

Fortunately, the trek upwards isn’t long and before Steve knows it, they’re at the top. 

Tony lets out a low whistle as his gaze flickers downwards. “Holy shit, that’s a drop.”

Steve nods, making a mental note to stay away from the cliff’s edge. He does fairly well with heights. Hell, he has jumped out of one too many jets during his tenure at SHIELD. But there’s something about being up here that makes him uncomfortable.

“Okay, so where is it?” Tony asks. “I don’t see any glowing gem so I’m assuming we gotta answer a riddle or—”

Red Skull nods towards the edge. “It is below.”

“Great, I can just fly down and—”

Red Skull heaves a tired sigh. “If only it were that easy. The stone is down there. But for only one.”

Steve frowns, the urge to strangle the bastard slowly taking over him. “One?”

“In order to take the stone, you must lose the very thing you love.” Red Skull takes a tentative step closer towards Steve and Tony, his cloak fluttering as the wind howls around them. “An everlasting exchange. A soul for a soul.”

Steve blinks, confusion washing over him.

A soul? A stone wants a soul? He can’t begin to even comprehend—

“A soul for a soul?” Tony scoffs. “What kind of bullshit is that?”

Red Skull smiles wanly. “I think you are well aware on the meaning behind my words. You are a genius, are you not?”

Tony scowls. “Listen here, Voldermort. Just tell us what the f—?” All of a sudden, he freezes in place, his cheeks whitening.

“Tony? What’s wrong?”

He doesn’t receive a reply.

“Tony?”

Tony mutters something incomprehensible before he lifts his head, their eyes meeting. No longer is there warmth and confidence behind his brown eyes, resignation and defeat taking over.

He managed to piece together what Red Skull had said.

Steve almost parts his lips, to demand when the realization hits him.

_An everlasting exchange. A soul for a soul._

Suddenly, everything makes sense.

“In order to take the stone,” Red Skull says, “you must lose that which you love.”

And there it is.

Steve could barely register anything, other than his heart is hammering against his ribcage and Tony is watching him with a sad, sad look and—

“He’s lying,” Steve says. Even to his ears, he sounds faraway. “He can’t— He’s messing with our heads. He—”

Tony barks out a despaired laugh that chills Steve to the bone. “As much as I’d love to believe this asshole is full of shit, I think he’s right. Remember what Nebula said? Thanos left with her sister. He came back without her and with the stone.”

“Tony—”

“It can’t be a coincidence.”

No, Tony is wrong. He has to be. Red Skull is full of lies. He has to be. This can’t be the way. There is no fucking way that Steve would—

“I’ll do it.”

Steve snaps out of his reverie, whipping his head upwards.

Tony flashes him a sad smile. “The Soul Stone has a weird way of playing Cupid, huh?”

Steve's blood turns cold.

“Tony—”

“That’s it,” Tony says, finality in his tone, averting Steve's gaze. “No arguments. Case closed, etcetera.”

No, it can’t— It can’t—

“Now if you excuse me—” Tony pauses to suppress what sounds like a sob. Steve’s heart aches at that. “I’m just gonna take a nice—”

“You’re not going.”

Tony’s eyes narrow. “What’d you mean I’m not going? You gotta go back. Save everybody.”

“Not without you.”

“Well according to the Soul Stone, that won't be happening. One of us has to—”

“There has to be another way. It can’t—” 

Steve whirls around, searching for Red Skull’s face. If this is any other situation, Steve would have balked at the idea of begging for his enemy’s help. 

But he’ll do it. For Tony, he’ll do anything.

“Is there any other way?”

Red Skull remains impassive. “It is what the stone demands.”

Steve balls his hands into fists, ducking his head.

It can’t be it. He’s the Red Skull. He has to be lying. A gem can’t want this. It may be an Infinity Stone and it may be called the ‘Soul Stone’, but a rock can’t want—

“Steve, listen to me,” Tony says, his voice oddly gentle and consoling, “Strange told me that out of a zillion outcomes, there’s only one where we come out the winners. What if this is it?”

Tears threaten to spill out of Steve’s eyelids. “No—”

“This could be why Strange spared me. Because he knew I gotta make this sacrifice.”

Steve shakes his head vehemently. Something wet trickles down his cheek. “You don’t know that.”

“But what if it is?” Tony ponders and Steve hates how calm he sounds, that Tony looks radiant with reddened eyes. “We’ll never know. We’ll never know until we can undo the Snap and ask that smug fucker ourselves. But until then—”

“Tony—”

“Win for me,” Tony continues, “Bring back everybody. You go and ask Strange yourself. Tell Rhodey and Pepper I love them. Tell Morgan…” His voice breaks for a moment. “Tell her I love her three thousand. She’ll understand what it means.” He turns away, swallowing. “And tell Peter I’m sorry.”

_I lost the kid._

Steve’s mind reels as his pulse thumps against his skin. This is how things are going to end? After everything they’ve been through, Tony has to die? This is what this Strange guy has foreseen? Tony’s death?

No, he has to be wrong. Tony’s wrong. He has to be.

And Steve is going to prove to him just that.

“No.”

Tony whips his head back, his nostrils flaring. “Rogers, I swear if this is one of your righteous—”

“You’re not jumping,” Steve interrupts. He could barely comprehend how calm he sounds to his ears. “You’re going to tell everybody all of that yourself.”

“What’d you mean I'm not jumping? You can't—”

Something snaps in Steve. 

He’s not sure what set it off. It could be the fact that they’re in the middle of nowhere, that Steve’s nemesis is looming behind them, that Steve can’t lose Tony. But he _needs_ to know. Even if he doesn’t feel the same, he has to know that there is an option.

There’s always an option.

The kiss is brief and chaste, a soft brush that stills Tony. His lips are chapped and wet but it feels right.

This isn’t how Steve imagined their first kiss to be at. It should’ve been soft and languid in Tony’s workshop at midnight with Tony covered in grease. It should’ve been sweet and joyful on the rooftop of the Avengers Tower under a starry sky and after one too many shots of espresso. It should’ve been frantic and desperate in the aftermath of a hard-fought battle, Tony’s lips tasting of sweat.

But he’ll settle for a fleeting peck on a dusty planet in front of one of the worst men known to mankind. 

Time has never been kind to Steve. He doubts it’ll ever be.

“Oh,” Tony breathes, his warm breath tickling Steve’s lips.

Steve exhales, pressing his forehead against Tony’s. His pulse slows, the fog in his mind clearing. “Yeah, ‘oh’.”

Silence befalls them.

He wonders what Red Skull would think of them openly kissing and declaring their devotion to each other. For a brief second, Steve wonders if Red Skull is still watching them, his thoughts on them openly kissing and declaring their devotion to one another. He pushes that thought out of his head the next second. It shouldn’t matter what anybody thinks of his feelings for Tony, especially a bastard like Johann Schmidt.

What matters is this moment between Tony and him.

“You never told me,” Tony murmurs.

“Neither did you.”

Tony chuckles. “We really have the best timing in the world, don’t we?”

He’s not wrong about that. Steve had many chances to confess, declare. But all he did was waste all his chances for nothing.

A smile plays at Steve’s lips. “We do, don’t we?”

“Mm hmm.” Tony pulls away, fatigue crossing his face. Just like that, the bubble Steve cast around them bursts.

“Just because you kissed me, doesn’t mean you’ll be doing the sacrificing.”

Steve squares his shoulders. Tony Stark is one, no, _the_ most stubborn man he knows. Nothing could ever sway his resolve.

But he has to try. He has to.

“I’m sorry,” Steve whispers. “I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am about everything that has happened.”

“I know.”

Steve reaches for Tony’s hand, brushing his thumb against Tony’s calloused fingers. 

“Let me go,” he softly pleads, “Tony, let _me_ go.”

Tony shoots him a glare. “If this is your way for apologizing to me, I’m not accepting it. That’s a shitty apology.”

Steve laughs quietly. “Well, I do make shitty decisions. But I know this is the right one. Me, going down there—”

“No, it has to be me. You’re Captain America. You’re gonna go home and save the day.”

“And _you’re_ Iron Man. You always save the day.”

Tony doesn’t reply for a moment, his gaze shifting downwards to their intertwined fingers. “You told me that I could never make the sacrifice play.”

Steve’s heart plummets at how sorrowful Tony sounds. 

It’s another reason why he hates his past self. Even though Loki’s sceptre fuelled his words back then, he was still brimming with fury, angry that most of his life was ripped out from under his feet.

He uttered words he shouldn’t have said, made a lot of mistakes, treated many people unkindly, especially Tony. And he didn’t deserve any of that. 

“I was wrong. I was wrong about a lot of things. You’re amazing and intelligent and beautiful and—”

“I can point to you twenty people who share those qualities. Like Bruce and—”

Steve frowns. “Can’t you just take a compliment?”

Tony arches an eyebrow. “Kinda hard to do that when you’re waxing poetry about me.”

A laugh threatens to spill out of Steve’s lips. He doesn’t know whether it’s out of amusement or frustration. Probably both.

Because no matter what he says or does, Tony is adamant on dying, on making the sacrifice.

A hand cups Steve’s jaw, forcing him to meet Tony’s brown orbs. They’re glazed with tears.

“Remember what you said? Whatever it takes.”

_Whatever it takes._

That moment feels like a lifetime ago. Tony had flashed him a smile, a soft and assured smile and for the first time in forever, Steve felt like he could do anything, that everything will turn out okay.

But nothing ever turns out okay. They’re the Avengers. They’re Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. They have a duty to carry out. As a soldier, he knows this. Duty always comes before the matters of the heart.

Tony may not be a soldier but he’s an Avenger and he has a duty to carry out.

Steve nods, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

“Whatever it takes.”

Tony flashes him a thin smile, pulling away from Steve’s grasp.

Steve makes his peace.

“I’m sorry,” he chokes out before raising his fist.

He doesn’t stop to watch Tony crumple to the ground before he takes off, racing to the edge of the precipice.

The urge to look back is overwhelming but he steels himself and pushes forward and then he’s falling.

Wind whips against his face. Steve’s eyelids flutter shut, tears freely rolling down his cheeks, his arms outstretched to embrace his end.

_Whatever it takes._

He barely registers the pair of arms fastening around his waist as he plummets to his death. It must be imagination.

“Don’t let go,” a comforting voice murmurs into his ear before the pain and darkness claim him.

* * *

He comes to with a loud gasp, bolting upright.

His suit clings uncomfortably onto his body. Water sloshes around his legs. He glances upwards, watching the clouds swirl above him in pink, purple, and blue hues.

And everything rushes back to him.

His right hand is balled into a fist, a faint orange glow illuminating the puddle he’s in. He lifts his hand, uncurling his fingers.

An orange gem glimmers back at him.

The Soul Stone.

The Soul Stone’s in Steve’s hand.

The Soul Stone’s in Steve’s hand but he’s alive. And if he’s alive…

_Don’t let go._

No. No. No. No—

He jumps to his feet, whipping his head around in frantic search.

He can’t be— This has to be a dream, a nightmare. Tony can’t—

He freezes when he lays eyes on a figure a few feet away.

“Tony!”

Tony is still as he lays in another puddle. Steve almost trips over his own feet as he makes his way towards him, finally crumbling to his knees when he’s by his side. He reaches for Tony’s neck, desperate for a pulse.

It drums steadily against his fingers.

His shoulders sag in relief.

Tony’s alive. Tony’s alive and so is he and they have the Soul Stone and—

Wet fingers curl around Steve’s wrist, grabbing his attention.

Tony’s watching him with a soft expression and a smirk. “Please tell me you kissed me.”

Steve huffs out a laugh, a large weight lifted off his shoulders. 

Tony’s alive.

Tony’s alive and so is he and they have the Soul Stone and—

“Don’t do that again,” Steve chastises. “Never again.”

“I should be the one telling you that. You punched me!”

“You were going to kill yourself!”

“You were going kill yourself too!”

“Because you were going to kill yourself first! Why the hell did you even jump after me?”

Tony rolls his eyes. “You’re the one who said we’re supposed to win or lose together.”

“I didn’t mean leaping off a cliff after me when I said that.” Steve sighs. “You know, that was a really risky move.”

“That paid off,” Tony counters.

Well, he can’t argue with that. As much as he hates how easily Tony resorts to life-threatening risks, the payoffs are usually in their favour.

It doesn’t ease Steve’s mind though.

Steve worries Tony’s pulse with his thumb. Tony trembles under his touch. “Promise me. _Never_ again.”

“I’ll promise you if you’ll do the same to me.”

“You know I can’t.”

Tony laughs. “No, you can’t. And neither can I.”

Steve clambers to his feet, extending a hand to help Tony stand himself.

“Not that I’m complaining or anything,” Tony begins, shrugging off his soaked hoodie. Steve immediately averts his gaze. The last thing he wants is to get a hard-on in space, “but why’re we even alive? Shouldn’t we be dead?”

“Does it matter?”

Tony throws him a meaningful look while he wrings his hoodie. “Uh, yes it does. What if this is like Final Destination and we’re gonna pay for our lives later and—?”

Steve snorts. “Final Destination isn’t real.”

“And so were Norse gods, aliens and magic years ago,” Tony points out.

“Maybe Red Skull was lying.”

“If he were lying, we’d be dead,” Tony replies, tying his hoodie around his waist. “Maybe the Soul Stone got tired of us arguing. Or maybe this is like those ‘love conquers all’ bullcrap.” His eyes twinkle in mischief. “You think if we made out in front of Thanos—”

“Tony—”

“Yeah, yeah. Mission first, make out later.” 

There’s a sharp glint behind Tony’s darkening eyes as he gives Steve a once-over. Steve suddenly feels much more uncomfortable in his suit, the urge to strip surfacing.

Tony takes a step forward, his gaze dropping down to Steve’s lips. His Adam’s apple bobs.

“Though I’ll admit that it’s getting difficult resisting you right now.”

Oh god. Fuck.

Tony Stark is like a magnet. No matter what happens, Steve will always gravitate towards him. It’s an absolute.

Steve’s about to seize Tony by the shoulders when a thought crosses his mind. His arms fall back to his side.

“Pepper…”

Tony blinks owlishly, his playful demeanour dimming.

“We’re not together anymore,” Tony answers. He cards his fingers through his damp hair absently. “We— Uh— I guess we’re roommates? I think that’s the right word. We just live together, sleep in separate rooms. We’re co-parenting Morgan. Hence why I’m not wearing my ring.”

Steve hasn’t even realized that Tony’s without his ring. He doesn’t know what to say to that. He hates the hope blooming in his chest.

“I’m sorry.”

Tony waves his hand in dismissal. “Don’t be. We always were better off friends. Guess it took us a while to realize that.” His lips twist into a smirk. “So you don’t need to feel bad about fucking me when we get back to the jet.”

The gears in Steve’s mind comes to a grinding halt. Heat creeps up his neck.

“Uh… I… You…”

Tony barks out an impish laugh, making Steve’s stomach flip. “You’re adorable when you blush. Has anybody told you that?”

Fingers brush against Steve’s neck, Tony’s thumb resting on Steve’s pulse. It jumps under his touch.

“You’re the first person to tell me that,” Steve whispers, his hands cupping Tony’s jaw. 

He has always wondered what it’ll feel like to have his fingers roaming over Tony’s beard, to have it prickle against his lips.

Never in a million years did he ever think he’d have that chance.

“I’m glad,” Tony murmurs before he surges forward, settling his hands on Steve’s waist.

This time the kiss is more passionate, fuelled by lust and hope. Steve lets out a quiet moan, his lips parting to allow Tony to slip his tongue inside.

It’s hot and wet and the feel of Tony’s beard against Steve’s skin is addicting. It’s better than anything Steve imagined it’ll be.

He could feel himself hardening against his pants, his discomfort of being dressed in damp clothes amplifying. Tony pulls him closer, brushing their erections together. A sudden jolt of pleasure courses through Steve’s veins at the contact. Tony lets out a whimper.

Finally they break away, shallowly panting against each other’s lips. Steve could feel Tony smiling against his lips. He couldn’t help but do the same.

“Wow.”

Steve hums in agreement.

“Well, as much as I’d like to make out with you on a deserted planet with your archnemesis floating around,” Tony begins, pulling away. Steve silently mourns the loss of Tony’s warmth. “I think we should get going. Gotta save the world and shit.”

“Yeah, we should.”

Tony flashes him a wide smile. It blinds Steve for a split second.

“But when we get back,” Tony says, “we’re definitely going to talk about this.”

Steve grins. It’s a promise.

* * *

Just like every instance in Steve’s life, they don’t talk about it as soon as Steve would like. Time has never been kind to him.

But they do after they return to the compound. After Bruce puts the gauntlet on. After Thanos’ sudden arrival. After Strange and their other friends appear.

After this moment.

Steve slips his hand in Tony’s, Natasha’s in his. Out of the corner of his eyes, Thor grasps Tony’s shoulder, Bruce following suit. The Infinity Stones on Tony’s gauntlet gleam between the ash and dust.

_Well, like the old man said: Together._

There’s much celebration going on in the battlefield when the dust settles. Steve’s still trying to find his footing after the sudden surge of power flowing through his bloodstream not long ago.

He finds himself being pushed around, caught between sweaty limbs and piercing shouts when a familiar grasp manages to steady him.

“So,” Tony begins, a grin spreading across his lips. There’s a couple of bloody gashes marring his forehead, soot in his hair, and Steve has never seen anything as breathtaking as him, “wanna talk about this thing between us now? Because I was thinking we could get shawarma later and—”

Steve silences him with his lips. Tony tastes of blood and dust and salt, and Steve has never felt at home as he does now.

Talking can wait. After all, they have all the time in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Several parts of the dialogue were taken/paraphrased from the Avengers, the Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the Avengers: Endgame. 
> 
> Fun fact, I was gonna have the story only take place on Vormir but then I remembered the ending of Endgame. I didn't like the idea of Tony dying after what happened in this fic so I decided to fix the ending of Endgame too. Suck it, Russos!
> 
> I'm also on [Tumblr](https://kapteniron.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/kapteniron)


End file.
